Game 4 between the Rangers and Devils drew 1.26 million viewers on NBC Sports Network, drawing a series low. There is no comparison going back to last year, as Game 4 between the Bruins and Lightning was on NBC.

The 2012 Eastern Conference Final has averaged 1.29 million viewers over three broadcasts on NBC Sports Network. This is down 16% from the first three broadcasts of the 2011 Eastern Conference Final on VERSUS, which averaged 1.5 million through games 1, 2 and 3. At least a 2-2 series will likely guarantee better numbers for Wednesday’s Game 5.

The Stanley Cup Playoffs on NBC had a second consecutive down weekend, as the network wrapped up it’s pre-Stanley Cup Final playoff coverage with a pair of conference final matchups.

Saturday’s Rangers-Devils game drew a 1.3 overnight rating, down 13% from last year’s Game 4 between Boston and Tampa Bay. It may have been hurt by the early timeslot, or the fact that there was a huge dip in ratings in the lone local market, New York. Game 3 drew a 4.2 in the Big Apple, well down from the 6.2 for Game 1 on the NBC Sports Network.

Sunday’s Game 4 between the Coyotes and Kings drew a 1.1 overnight, down 15% from last year’s Game 4 between the Canucks and Sharks, which was a 2-1 series, as opposed to the 3-0 lead the Kings had heading in. The game drew a series high 2.7 in Los Angeles.

Overall, the Stanley Cup Playoffs on NBC averaged a 1.6 overnight over 12 telecasts, up 14% from 2011’s eight telecasts (1.4), and NBC’s best overnight average ever for post-season coverage.

Game 3 of the Western Conference Final continued on a downward slope in viewership, but not as far down as the 2011 Western Final went.

The Kings third consecutive victory over the Coyotes drew 827,000 viewers on NBCSN last night, an 8,000 viewer drop from Game 2, but up 15% from Game 3 of last year’s Western Conference Final between the Sharks and Canucks (714,000).

The 2012 Western Conference Final is averaging 922,000 viewers on NBC Sports Network through three broadcasts. This is up 23% from the three-game average from last year (856,000). Game 4 of the series heads to NBC Sunday afternoon, with an if necessary Game 5 back to NBC Sports Network Tuesday.

The Devils evening their series with the New York Rangers will hopefully turn around the ratings fortunes of the Conference Finals. While Game 2 of the Western Final went down, Game 2 of the Eastern Final went up.

Game 2 between New Jersey and New York drew 1.34 million viewers, up slightly from Game 1’s 1.28 million, but still down 16% from Game 2 of last year’s Eastern Conference Final between Tampa Bay and Boston, which drew 1.56 million viewers.

The Eastern Conference Final has averaged 1.31 million viewers through two games, down 18% from the two-game average for the 2011 East Final (1.55 million) through two games.

2012 Eastern Conference Final on NBC Sports Network

Game 1 (5/14/12): 1.28 millionGame 2 (5/16/12): 1.34 million

Games Drawing Over One Million Viewers During the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs on Cable

The Kings easy victory over the Coyotes proved toxic to television viewers on Tuesday.

Game 2 of the Western Conference Final, which featured Los Angeles whitewashing Phoenix to a 2-0 series lead, drew just 835,000 viewers, down 1% from Game 2 of the 2011 Western Conference Final, with Sharks/Canucks drawing 847,000 viewers. It was down a whopping 32% from Game 1, which drew 1.10 million viewers.

Local numbers are unavailable at the moment, but it’s safe to assume that not enough casual fans in LA (the Clippers were playing at the same time) were able to pick up the slack from the likely dwindling number of folks still tuning in from Phoenix.

It took two local teams, but New York appears to be all in for the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs at this point.

Game 1 of the Devils/Rangers Eastern Conference Final series drew a huge 6.2 local rating in New York, the highest number for any Stanley Cup broadcast in the market so far this post-season. It beats out Game 7 of the Rangers-Senators first round series (a 5.7) on MSG for the top spot.

Nine broadcasts from this post-season have broken the network’s record for a local broadcast in New York (a 2.14 for Rangers/Penguins in 2008 on VERSUS) between the Devils and Rangers.

NBC Sports Network Exclusive Broadcasts in New York During the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs

The Battle of the Hudson River in the Eastern Conference Final started off with a lower number than last year on the NBC Sport Network.

Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final between the New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers drew 1.28 million viewers, down 20% from Game 1 between Boston and Tampa Bay in 2011, which scored 1.54 million viewers.

Currently waiting on local ratings, which likely set a record in the New York market. Game 1 is the 15th game of the 2012 Playoffs to crack one million viewers, up from 10 at this point last year.

Games Drawing Over One Million Viewers During the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs on Cable